Telstra chief executive David Thodey has expressed confidence that the company’s $11 billion deal to participate in the national broadband network will withstand any change in government, paving the way for an announcement on capital management initiatives later this week.

“Should there be a change – be it technological or political – we think we’ve got enough safeguards there,” he said. “I’m very confident we have enough protection in our contracts to realise the value we’re talking about.”

Telstra will hold an investor briefing on Thursday to outline its plans to implement the NBN and redeploy cash flows for the benefit of its shareholders.

Mr Thodey’s comments indicate that political uncertainty, once considered a factor that could prompt Telstra’s board to be conservative with capital management, is no longer a concern.

They follow analysis by Credit Suisse which said Telstra could face a “win win” scenario should there be a change in government next year by helping reduce the cost of the network build while still protecting shareholder value.

The federal Coalition has been a vocal opponent of the NBN but Opposition communications and broadband spokesman Malcolm Turnbull has softened his stance in recent months.

Mr Turnbull has indicated a future Coalition government would deliver high-speed broadband to Australians by rolling fibre out to neighbourhoods rather than individual premises. That would require further negotiation with Telstra for access to its copper connections into homes.

Mr Thodey said while he was a great advocate of the NBN he believed its potential benefits needed to be sold better to Australians.

“It’s quite inspired – not all of it’s justified, but it’s inspired,” he said.

“I think the NBN provides opportunities but the question is what the hell do we do with it. We have to harness the technology.

“I am not yet convinced there is enough focus on the innovation . . . even for educating people how to use it.”

Mr Thodey said he was watching NBN pricing closely. NBN Co said it was committed to bringing prices down for using the new high-speed broadband network.

In its response to NBN Co’s “special access undertaking” last year, which outlined the proposed regulatory framework and pricing plans until 2040, Telstra argued NBN Co would be over-estimating its costs of capital, which would discourage competition and lead to higher prices for consumers.

“NBN has an intention to move that price down and so from a regulator’s perspective and as a re-seller, we’re keen to understand how that’s going to happen,” Telstra said.

“I think the intent is there to try and move that price down. If it doesn’t then there will be a bigger issue.”

Mr Thodey also admitted the restructure of Sensis, the unit that houses Telstra’s Yellow Pages and White Pages titles, would involve some job losses, but they had to be put in context of the overall growth of Telstra’s 42,000-strong workforce. “It’s a two to three-year transition. I feel pretty optimistic in the long term but there is still some more pain to go through in the short term,” he said.